For more than 40 years, researchers have known that the achievement results of different sets of students, such as those from different schools, vary in association with several specific key factors, including:


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Factors Affecting Student Achievement - Source: Adam Moore


Though individuals with one or more of these characteristics can and do perform well on state assessments, the majority tend to perform less well than children who do not have these characteristics. The many reasons for these historic patterns of lower achievement include such things as school expectations, the availability of flexible grouping and different types of instruction, inadequate funding and support to the schools these children attend, individual and family health, and the quality of social services offered to students.

To understand the performance and characteristics of a specific school, it is essential to understand the communities that it serves. What are some community features that you think are important to investigate?